Psychoville

2009
7.9| 0h30m| TV-MA| en
Synopsis

Psychoville is a British dark comedy television . Pemberton and Shearsmith each play numerous characters, with Dawn French and Jason Tompkins in additional starring roles.

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Reviews

Memorergi good film but with many flaws
CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.
ThrillMessage There are better movies of two hours length. I loved the actress'performance.
Salubfoto It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.
gridoon2018 As actors, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith are chameleons - they have a gift for transforming themselves into a variety of characters, young and old, male and female. Few, if any, of their characters are very appealing, though. As writers, they love the bizarre, the grotesque, the offensive - not necessarily a bad thing, but this show is often more bizarre and grotesque than it is entertaining. Still, the plot is tangled enough to keep you watching. The second season plays more like a slasher film, with the main characters of the first season getting eliminated one-by-one, and it feels disjointed, but they do manage to pull it all together with a good twist at the end. It's hard to recommend (or not) this show because it's for specialized tastes only, maybe the best advice would be to watch one or two episodes to see how it tastes to you. **1/2 out of 4.
Red-Barracuda Psychoville is the TV series actor/writers Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton devised between The League of Gentlemen and Inside No. 9. Like those others it also has that very specific mixture of black comedy and horror that these guys are so at home with. For my money though, Psychoville is probably the lesser of the three series, although it is still very good. Despite what its title initially suggests, and unlike 'League', its characters are located in various places around England and the action is not confined to a single location. The title seems to refer more to a state of mind than anything geographic. Anyway, the cast of disparate characters are slowly drawn together by an ominous secret from their past which is initially communicated to them via mysterious sinister letters.First off, this is another bit of work that once again showcases Shearmsith and Pemberton's considerable abilities as character actors as well as writers. They both play a selection of very different people who populate this dark story. They are even joined by former 'League' colleague Mark Gatiss in what to me was the best episode of all, 'David and Maureen', which pays very direct homage to Alfred Hitchcock's experimental thriller Rope (1948), in that it shares the conceit of having its whole story told in one single unbroken take. The series also references other films too, such as another Hitchcock classic Strangers on a Train (1951), in less obvious ways.Of the three series Shearsmith and Pemberton have done, this is the most story-based. It has a mystery underpinning it and the characters do have story arcs that progress in a more traditional manner. The first season probably did this best, in that we knew less of what was going on, so the element of surprise worked more strongly in the series favour. As it progressed I felt it sometimes gave the impression of running out of strong ideas though. The characters are a strong point as you would expect, however, with, amongst others, a misanthropic clown, a psychologically damaged midwife and a sinister manifestation of the mind known as the Silent Singer. The ending to season two quite clearly looks to have been devised with the hope of winning a third season, as it is not really a proper ending at all, with certain plot threads left in the air and the finale really no more than a cliff-hanger of sorts. Evidently the BBC thought otherwise and that was it as far as Psychoville went.
Growlyted I discovered this after enjoying Inside No 9. (Not a fan of The League.) Psychoville has twisted and memorable characters. The plot is gripping and successfully combines horror with humour. Also, Reece and Steve constantly homage their favourite films. One episode is set entirely in one location, reminding me of how No 9 works. Their commentaries on the DVDs are entertaining and informative. It is a shame Series 3 didn't go ahead, but there aren't any loose ends. I especially loved Reece's characters which include a bitter clown and an obsessive librarian. Dawn French is fabulous. Steve's best character is the man-child, David. There are no weak performances. The music adds to the atmosphere perfectly. Nothing is predictable. The Halloween Special is certainly the best I've seen. For the whole, Psychoville is a delicious treat at any time of the year!
quinny666 OK. So it's not the League, but it maintains all the best bits and continues to disgust and mesmerise as if it is being beamed into your skull from a malign planet of terror.The first episode opens with some of the most delightful characters; a hook-handed clown who arrives at the kids bash in a hearse, the midwife who delights in the pain of childbirth and many more sikos. Where does the humour come from? I'm sure it comes from being unbalanced by a knowledge that I've met these people in rural England.The performances are strong and suited, the script and comedy timing is near perfect, mostly because it all been lifted from other successful hits like Murder Most Horrid, League of Genltemen and the premise of I Know What You Did Last Summer. This is why I recommend you get a return ticket to PSYCHOVILLE!!!!! Mooohahahahahaha.